[Josh Richardson]

Well the damage assessment team did not have enough time yet to survey into Nicollet county but for Le Seur county they are rating it an F3.* Later report will be issued for Nicollet county this weekend...

NOUS43 KMPX 260447
PNSMPX
MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-261800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1145 PM CDT FRI AUG 25 2006

...DAMAGE SURVEY FROM LE SUEUR AND NICOLLET COUNTIES...

THE DAMAGE SURVEY WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND...AS DAYLIGHT RAN OUT
ON THE SURVEY TEAM FRIDAY.* MUCH OF THE TIME FRIDAY WAS SPENT
CLOSELY EXAMINING THE DAMAGE IN LE SUEUR COUNTY...IN ATTEMPT TO
LOCATE ANY POSSIBLE F4 DAMAGE.*

AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THE DEVASTATED AREAS OF LE SUEUR COUNTY... IT
WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TORNADO PRODUCED NO MORE THAN F3 DAMAGE.
FOUR HOMES WERE LEVELED...BUT NONE APPEARED TO HAVE HAD A STRONG
FOUNDATION. SEVERAL VEHICLES WERE ROLLED BUT NONE WERE SENT
AIRBORNE.* THERE WERE PLENTY OF SEVERELY BROKEN TREES... BUT THOSE
INDICATED NOTHING MORE THAN F3.* THEREFORE THE LE SUEUR COUNTY
PORTION OF THE TORNADO WAS AN F3.* THE TORNADO DISSIPATED FIVE MILES
NORTHWEST OF WATERVILLE.

THE TEAM ONLY HAD ENOUGH TIME TO EXAMINE THE TORNADO TRACK AS FAR
WEST AS KASOTA.* THERE WAS OBVIOUS DAMAGE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
MINNESOTA RIVER AT KASOTA...AND SO THE TORNADO THAT DEVASTATED LE
SUEUR COUNTY DID ORIGINATE IN NICOLLET COUNTY.* BUT DUE TO THE LOSS
OF DAYLIGHT...WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAR WEST IT WENT INTO
NICOLLET COUNTY.* IT IS POSSIBLE IT STARTED IN OR NEAR THE CITY OF
NICOLLET...BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW FOR SURE...YET.* THAT
INFORMATION WILL BE DETERMINED THIS WEEKEND.

IT IS ALSO UNCERTAIN HOW MANY TORNADOES DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA ON THURSDAY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS CREDIBLE REPORTS OF
TORNADOES TOUCHING DOWN BRIEFLY SOUTH AND WEST OF NICOLLET... AS
WELL AS SOUTH OF COURTLAND.* THIS IS WHERE VIDEO WILL PLAY AN
IMPORTANT ROLE...AS WELL AS SPOTTER REPORTS AND 911 LOGS.* THERE
WERE ALSO SOME REPORTS OF TOUCHDOWNS IN EXTREME EASTERN LE SUEUR
COUNTY INTO RICE COUNTY...IN AREAS OUTSIDE KILKENNY... WATERVILLE
AND MORRISTOWN.* THESE WILL ALSO BE RESEARCHED.* MORE INFORMATION
WILL BE PROVIDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.